Unlucky trucks and rubber-neckers
Posted on July 22, 2007
Filed Under Australia - The land down under, Irony Anyone? |
This Thursday on the way home from work, I experienced a massive slow-down on the free way. Now, normally, this might not be so odd as traffic picks up after 2:30 but the past 2 weeks have been school holidays and the traffic has been light both ways.
I crawled along wondering what the hold-up was. Perhaps a car broke down and they needed to close a lane? Maybe some debris fell off a truck and was causing a bit of havoc. Well, finally the knot loosened up and I proceeded off the free way at my usual exit getting only a glimpse of something happening up ahead - ambulances and police etc..
Upon getting home, Brian asks me if I saw the accident.
“Not really,” I replied, “How bad was it?”
As it turns out, a little white Commodore lost control on the south-bound side of the Mitchell free way and the 18-wheeler truck behind it trying desperately not to hit the little car, jack-knifed, slammed into the car and tipped over spilling it’s contents everywhere and ending up blocking all three lanes and crashing into the centre of the free way blocking the train as well. The free way was blocked for hours and people were turning around and going back up the on ramp. Train serviced stopped for several hours as well as they cleaned the debris off the track. So, the slow down on my side was simply people slowing down to gawk at the wreckage. The man in the white car suffered a broken arm and some scrapes. The truck driver was shaken but unharmed. WHEW! Could have been so much worse.
This Friday on the way home from work, I experienced a massive slow-down on the free way…are we picking up a pattern here?
As I once again, crawled towards my exit, I was stumped a to what it could possibly be this time. Just before I got off, I saw ANOTHER truck on it’s side, broken, smashed cars everywhere. They were totalled. I thought to myself that there was NO WAY people had survived that. Police and ambulance workers buzzed all over the place. Again, it was on the other side of the free way and the delays on my side was from rubber-neckers alone.
After watching the news (again), I discovered (to my relief and slight embarrassment) that the truck driver had tried to turn too hard in the rain and had tipped over the massive 18-wheeler, spilling it’s contents of crushed cars all over the road. So, no fatalities or even big injuries. Just another shaken driver and a bunch of car shells going to be recycled. WHEW! (again)
How odd is that? Twice in two days, huge trucks tipping over and causing hours and hours of delay in virtually the same spot?? Each incident happened within a few hundred metres of the other.
Must be something in the air….roll on spring!
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4 Responses to “Unlucky trucks and rubber-neckers”
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I am so glad I don’t have to drive on the freeway that often. Every time I do I see at least 1 idiot doing something stupid.
Hope you are enjoying your new job. I have not seen you for ages, now you are a working girl.
We must must catch up. I have not organised my Nutrimetics party yet but I will. We are moving house in 4 weeks. Boohoo, I am sad to leave Kensington but we need a bigger house because our beautiful daughter may be wee but the stuff that goes with her is growing rapidly. When we are settled n I will organise a Nutrimetics thingo.
I will email you soon with our new address. I seem to be babbling on and I was just going to leave a quick comment!!
Hope to catch up soon.
Forgot to say I like your new layout.
Gillian X
You should be glad you don’t need them often.. it’s crazy!! Since this post ANOTHER big truck has rolled, this time near Whitfords Ave. Sheeeeeeesh!
I’ll give you a ring or text about organizing a pop-in maybe next week? I can come straight from work (finish at 2, so not too late.) I feel like I haven’t seen you or wee Christina in ages!
Can wait to hear where you’re moving to! Must chat soon.
P.S. thanks for the feedback on the new layout! LOL
Hi,
A quick hello to let you know that Fuelmyblog has had some surgery done and lots of changes have happened.
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rubbernecking is a more common traffic cause than an accident… I think that is pretty well the same everywhere… We humans have an inherent morbid fascination with death, otherwise, NASCAR really wouldn’t be so big as it is. (they race in a circle? are there any zig-zags? no! oh! you mean they tailgate each other while talking on their cell phones at speeds far exceeding 321km/h? They are pretty much all there for the crash, it’s really not about who wins, but who they got to see race for the last time)